


Ports in a storm

by Timaios_kun



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 20yearsking!noctis, AU, BAMF Noctis Lucis Caelum, Battleprince Noctis, Dad!Cor, Hurt Noctis Lucis Caelum, Hurt/Comfort, King Noctis Lucis Caelum, Luna and Gentiana are partners in divine, Multi, OT4, Prophecy, Protective Chocobros (Final Fantasy XV), Regis lives, Whump, Withdrawal, bamf everyone really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25190899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timaios_kun/pseuds/Timaios_kun
Summary: In an AU, where it is Regis who gets hurt by the Marilith attack instead of his son, it’s up to Noctis and his friends to fulfill the prophecy together to rid Eos of the Starscourge._____________________________________________________________________Ignis springs into action, grabbing Noctis’ shoulders and gently guiding him down until he is kneeling on the floor.Prompto and Gladio immediately catch on and surround Noctis with their embrace at his back.Ignis lifts one hand from Noctis’ shoulder cupping his face, staring imploringly at the king.“We are with you. We’ll guide you through it.” Ignis rests both hands on his shoulders again, squeezing them hard.Noctis gives a terse nod in response, his breath had quickened and he had started to tremble. This time Gladio was sure it was not because of the Crystal.He has never seen Noct so scared.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 18
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo, this is my first fanfic in 11 years. What can I say, quarantine seems to have reawakened my dried up creative juices. :)
> 
> I adore FFXV’s storyline and characters. I just had a couple points I wanted to play around with. 
> 
> I understand Regis loves his son and only wants to protect him, but I always thought it kind of selfish of him not to prepare Noctis better for what’s in store for him. Like, yes son I am sending you on a road trip to get married but watch out, you’re actually the True King and I am about to get killed. 
> 
> Secondly, I love the idea of King Noctis. I am really glad they added more elements of that in the Royal Edition but I need MOAR. 
> 
> Thirdly, I would have loved to see the chocobros face the Long Night together, growing older and wiser experiencing those ten years together. 
> 
> So I came up with this AU to incorporate a few of those things one way or another. And who am I kidding, I mostly came up with it so I can whump Noct :)

“I am getting too old for this...”  
Not that he was ever going to admit it, but Cor is breathing hard as he is running down the long corridor, the heavy boots of his Crownsguard uniform echoing loudly in the vast space of the Citadel.

Yes, he survived insurmountable odds in many battles which granted him the nickname ‘Cor the Immortal’ and yes, he still is the Kingdom’s most formidable fighter - apart from King Noctis of course. But he was not in his thirties anymore, hell not even his forties.

A decade ago, his body would have forgiven him a few broken ribs easily, but now... the recent injury he received on an excursion in the outskirts of Duscae, left him sore and a bit grumpy. While everyone was happy the Wall was protecting the whole of Eos again, it didn’t mean a few of the nastier deamons hadn’t survived the Ascension of King Noctis.

And yet despite his discomfort he pushes forward as fast as he can.

His king needed him.

He was just in a debriefing of that last battle when he received Ignis’s text:

_Marshal, could I please trouble you to join us in the king’s office. It is a particular bad one today. I would appreciate your assistance again._

Cor cursed under his breath. When would their young king finally catch a break.  
“When he is dead,” Cor shakes his head at his morbid thought.  
It has certainly been ten long years for them all.

But mostly for King Noctis.

It was merely two weeks ago, when the Crystal was given to The Empire of Niflheim as a sign of goodwill.  
Compensation for the years of chaos and destruction, the Kingdom of Lucis had no choice but to to leave them to after King Regis’s almost fatal accident which caused the fall of the First Wall ten years ago.

But the severity of the pain, the loss of proximity to the Crystal caused for Noctis, none of them could have anticipated. Well, maybe Noctis did. But he never would have put a stop to the agreement.

Cor slowed down to a brisk walk as he nears the threshold to the king’s wing, signalling the two Crownsguard stationed there to follow him.

“Tecta, Andro, with me!”  
The two soldiers easily fall into step behind their commander, worry lining their faces immediately.  
“The king?” Tecta asks, her voice soft.  
Cor gives a sharp nod.  
“Again?” She mutters under her breath, her brows creasing further in concern.  
Andro watches the exchange between the two with utter bewilderment.

It’s his first week on ‘King duty’, so he has no idea what the hell is going on.  
He is about to say as much when their arrival at the king’s chambers ends any chance of a question.  
The two Glaives posted in front of the door as His Majesty’s protective detail give Cor a sharp salute, their faces grim.

Cor pushes open the heavy door, revealing the king and his adviser Ignis Scientia.

Noctis is standing behind his lavish mahogany desk, hunched over supporting his weight with two shaky arms. He is drenched in sweat despite the room’s cool temperature.  
It is early evening, rays of the last remaining sunlight lazily shining through the tall stained glass window behind the desk, casting the room into a soft green light.

Scattered reports under Noctis’s hands forgotten as he struggles to breath through the pain. Ignis right behind him, steadying the king with a firm grip on his right upper arm and left wrist. These points of contact seeming to be about the only thing keeping the younger man upright.

“Cor,” Noctis pants, eyes lined with pain looking at him through his dark bangs glued to his forehead. “You didn’t need to come! Shouldn’t you be recovering from your -argh-injury?”

The king’s reprimand lacked a bit of its usual authority, when he doubled over in agony halfway through the sentence. Ignis tightens his grip.

Cor quickly walks up to the pair.

“Let’s get you sitting down, Your Majesty.”  
He meets Ignis’s eyes over Noctis’s shoulder. Silent understanding passing between them.  
“Thank you for coming, Marshal,” Ignis says quietly.

Together, they slowly lead their king to the big dark leather couch under the window, supporting him on each side.  
With his hand on the king’s lower back, Cor can feel tremors rocking Noctis’s lean frame.

Ignis urgently throws the royal raiment’s cape off to the side, long since discarded on the couch to give His Majesty even the smallest amount of comfort.

The careless act a testament of how truly distressed the king’s adviser is - usually an epitome of cleanliness and decorum.

They slowly lower Noctis down on the now empty couch, the leather warm from the last rays of sun.  
Ignis sits down next to him, shuffling with practiced ease until Noctis’s head is resting on his thigh.

Noctis lets out a long breath. He turns is head towards the two Crownsguard.  
“Tecta, Andro,” the king addresses them quietly with a small smile, ”I am sorry about this,” gesturing vaguely down his body.

“Your Majesty, please, anything we can do to help,” Andro blurts out, clearly confused as what causes his normally seemingly invincible king to be in such a state.

“What,” - Andro’s question is interrupted by an agonizing moan coming from their king’s throat.

Noctis’s smile falls from his lips as his body seizes up, his back arching off the couch, his head digging deep into Ignis’s thigh. Suddenly a shower of blue crystals bursts out of him and with it a suppressed groan of pain.  
Just as quickly as it came on, it stops. Noctis is slack in Ignis’s grip.  
Eyes squeezed shut, breathing heavily. Sweat drips down his face, his black dress shirt and vest thoroughly soaked.

Cor lowers himself to his knees in front of the couch, helping Ignis unbuttoning the vest to make breathing a bit easier for Noctis.

“How many has it been?” Cor asks as he works on the last button.  
“With this last one, four in the last twenty minutes.”  
Not good.  
“Where is Gladiolus?”  
“I asked him to fetch Prompto. I felt it prudent it would be the three of us this time,” the adviser says quietly.

Cor nods in approval.

“Sir, sorry, but what is _happening_?” a totally confused and shocked Andro finally bursts out.

Cor glances at him, forgiving the young soldier’s lack of formality given the current situation. He is a capable Crownsguard, loyal, strong and compassionate.

“He will be a good addition to the inner circle,” Cor thinks to himself.

“You know about the Power of Providence the king has acquired over the last ten years?”

“Of course,” Andro replies, almost offended.

Every crown citizen of Lucis knows of their young king’s sacrifice that started ten years ago.

On that fateful night when the course of Lucis’ history took a dramatic turn.  
King Regis and his son Prince Noctis returned from a diplomatic trip from Niflheim, only to be attacked by a vicious snake deamon, a Marilith.

As long as human memory lasts, deamons have plagued the star of Eos.  
No-one really knows where they came from, only that they were part of the planet’s circle of life, just as perpetual as the the rising and setting of the sun.  
Coming out only at night, the deamons attack every living thing they encounter, infecting their prey with their poisonous miasma to spread their sickness, the Starscourge.  
The only thing keeping them at bay is daylight - and the magic of the Royal Family of Lucis.  
For centuries, the kings and queens of the bloodline of the Caelum family fought valiantly to protect not only Lucis but other continents as well, the Empire of Niflheim, the Republic of Accordo and the Kingdom of Tenebrae.

With the help of the Crystal, the source of the magic gifted to the royal bloodline by the gods to protect their star, the kings and queens would erect an impenetrable Wall around the continents using the Ring of Light to channel the Crystal’s power.

Until ten years ago, when King Regis’s spine was severed protecting his son in the deamon attack, and with it, his innate power to fully connect to the Crystal.  
Choosing to protect his son from certain death, meant giving up protection of his people and the people of Eos.  
Weakened and bound to a wheelchair after a three months long coma, Regis had no choice but to shrink the circumference of the Wall to only shroud Lucis’s Crown City of Insomnia.

And if that was not tragedy enough, fate had more in store for the Caelum family.  
While in his coma, the gods revealed a prophecy to Regis.

Noctis was chosen as the True King to rid Eos of the Starscourge.

_He would have to bathe in the Crystal’s light to gain the Power of Providence. Every day for seven hours, the Prince shall bond with the Crystal and become the vessel for its magic - to complete his Ascension at the age of twenty, when he is to be given the Ring of Light._

_By the power of the Light alone is the Chosen King made manifest. With the Glaives of Kings, the Stone of Legend, and the Ring of Light in hand, the Chosen’s power will surpass that of even the gods themselves. By that selfsame power, with the True King as its vessel, the darkness shall be purged from the star, and dawn shall return to the world once more. The heart of the Crystal, wherein lies the soul of the star and it is from that place the King will gain the power to fulfill his calling._

Those were the words of the gods, Regis has received during his coma.  
They sound grand and divine as they were written down in books, discussed by scholars and spreading through the realms with whispers of hope.

But for the handful of people closest to Noctis who would witness the prince absorbing the power of the Crystal first hand everyday, these words meant a whole lot more.

Cor swears that every single one of the prince’s sessions he stood guard for would be forever seared into his memory.  
They were incredibly painful for the young prince. The massive power of the Crystal’s magic funnelling into the small human body. And they would grow more intense the older he got. As if the Crystal felt small mercy as to subject a child to such torment.

Noctis bore it with such quiet dignity, it was humbling to all those around him staying by his side only fuelling their loyalty and fierce protectiveness towards him.  
His father’s accident forced the young Prince to grow up much faster than any kid should. He stood by his sick father’s side, practically co-reigning the country.  
Tutors and advisers grooming him into a leader his father could not be anymore. There were good days and bad days of course. But when it all seemed to become too much for Noctis, his three closest retainers were always there standing by his side, giving him strength to keep going.

Noctis’s coronation was only a few months ago. One week after his twentieth birthday and completion of his Ascension. It took many months of gentle coaxing on Noctis’s part for Regis to finally agree to abdicate his throne. All Noctis wanted for his father was to finally get some rest, the nations of Eos were a bit more selfish in their demand.

Donning the Ring of Light on that day, marked the next step in the prophecy.  
The newly crowned king’s power so vast that he could expand the Wall back to encompass all continents of Eos and bring its people back under Lucis’s magical protection.

But a lot has happened politically in the last ten years across the continents. Despite the prince’s best efforts to support the unguarded continents in fending off the deamons with his army of Kingsglaive, there were heavy losses among the people of Eos. And bitterness towards the Royalty of Lucis arose, mostly originating from the Empire of Niflheim who was the hardest to defend since it was the furthest away from Lucis.  
The Empire’s scorn grew so strong, that the current leader of Niflheim, Iedolas Aldercapt was threatening to bring war to Lucis’s doorstep if they don’t give them the Crystal as collateral for the years of destruction they had to face.

They knew it was an empty threat, with the king’s unmatched power and the Wall back up. But King Noctis agreed. His first official act as a King.

Which led them straight back to the dilemma at hand.

“Well, for a lack of a better comparison,” Cor explains, “His Majesty is suffering from _Crystal Withdrawal_.”

Understanding dawned on Andro’s face.  
Most of the inner circle of Crownsguard bore witness to the Prince’s sessions with the Crystal when on guard duty.  
Andro himself never was allowed as a young recruit but he heard his older comrades talk in hushed voices when they would come back from their shifts worn out after having to witness their young prince in such unimaginable pain.

“It’s just a bit worse than we anticipated,” Cor continues with something like a look of regret on his face.

“Worse than anticipated?!” Andro’s voice raises a notch. Tecta gives him a sharp nudge signalling him to lower his voice.  
“But if His Majesty knew this would happen, why did he let Niflheim have it?” He lowered his voice to an urgent whisper.

“ ‘s because we owe it to them”, Noctis’s voice is quiet.

“Oh Noct,” Ignis sighs, his face brimming with such loyalty and love, Andro had to look away at the intensity of it.

“Your Majesty,” Ignis cards his fingers through Noct’s hair, “How are you feeling?”

“I’ll live,” Noctis says with a small chuckle as if laughing at his own inside joke.

The tremors have not stopped coursing through him and his breath is still laboured, but he seems lucid enough.

“Where are Gladio and Prom-mhhhnnn”- another big seizure grips Noct’s body followed by another shower of blue crystals.

“They are almost here, Your Majesty.” Ignis keeps running his fingers through his king’s sweaty hair.

“ ‘Kay,” Noctis breathes out, closing his eyes trying to relax against his adviser.

As if on cue, the door bursts open and Prompto stumbles into the room, half running half sliding towards the couch coming to a sharp stop at Noctis’s side.

“Noct! Buddy!”

Noctis, with his eyes still closed, gives him a soft smile.

A bit more composed but not less worried, the King’s Shield, Gladio Amicitia enters the room.

“How’s he doing”, his deep voice soft, face laced with concern as he directs his gaze to Ignis.

“He’ll need all three of us today. He had five already in the last thirty minutes.”

Gladio takes in a sharp breath, quickly striding towards the couch lowering himself to his knees between Cor and Prompto who had just finished a quiet ‘hello’ to his dad.

“Marshal,” Gladio gives Cor a quick nod.  
“Amicitia,” Cor moves to stand to give the King’s closest friends a bit more space.  
“Hey Princess, we’re here now, don’t you worry.” Gladio soothes the younger man.  
“Hey guys...,” Noctis mumbles, never opening his eyes, the corner of his lips twitching upwards at the old familiar nickname.

Gladio gently puts his hand on top of Noct’s left that is resting on his stomach.  
He quickly snatches it back as if burnt, the Ring of Light incredibly hot to the touch.

“Is that normal?” His eyes searching Ignis’ again.

“I am afraid so. His magic is raging uncontrolled.”

“Aaaargh!” The biggest seizure yet forces all of Noctis’s muscles too tight, writhing in agony. It takes all three of the retainers to keep him on the couch.

Another scream tears from his throat while a constant shower of blue crystals ripples around him. And suddenly, as if strings cut from a puppet, Noctis slumps down on the couch his eyes closed, his breathing shallow. Any form of coherence he seemed to have moments ago all but gone.

“What the hell, Iggy. Aren’t those crystals usually only visible, when he is like, _warping_? ” Prompto is frantic, his fists balled up in the fabric of Noctis’s black slacks.

Cor takes in the faces of the room. That last scream making their expressions even more grim.

They all know how incredibly high the king’s pain threshold is.  
Ten years of constant exposure to the Crystal’s torment, all but eradicated Noctis’s sense of pain.  
To actually scream out like that, the pain must be almost impossible to fathom. It would most certainly render any of them unconscious.

“As I said,” Ignis’ composure crumbling, “it’s his magic. We have to act now.”

“What do you need me to do,” Prompto facing Ignis, his face all business, a foreign expression on the usually bubbly and happy young man.

Prompto has not been present for the previous episodes. Only Gladio and Ignis.

Ignis immediately goes into what Noctis fondly would call his ‘tactician’ mode.  
“Imagine the Providence as a waterfall of incredibly powerful magic, drip feeding a small vessel. Slowly over ten years, one day at a time, letting the vessel grow with the expanding power.  
The Crystal was channeling the power in measured amounts and controlling the flow even after the king finished his Ascension.  
Now with the increased distance, that support has diminished, letting what the prophecy calls ‘the Chosen’s power that will surpass even the gods’ rage within him uncontrolled. This is where we come in.”  
Ignis takes a deep breath.

We need to anchor him through the Armiger and help his Majesty to bring back control to the flow of his magic.”

Prompto’s eyes are wide as he nods slowly.

Sensing their youngest team member’s unease, Ignis firmly grabs Prompto’s shoulder.  
“I know you can do this. Trust me, we are meant to do this.” He gives his shoulder another squeeze.

Prompto’s face turns determined.  
“Let’s do it!”  
Ignis nods in approval.  
He faces Gladio, “You know what to do.”

Ever so gently, the three arrange their king into a sitting position on the couch.  
Gladio supporting most of his weight as he carefully cradles Noctis’s head until it rests slightly tilted up on the back pillow.  
The shield sits down on his charge’s left, resting his forehead in the space between Noct’s shoulder and jaw. Ignis mirroring the same position on the right.  
Prompto stays kneeling on the ground, hugging his friend’s legs, lowering his forehead slightly above Noctis’s knees.

Once they are in position, Cor turns towards the two Crownsguard.  
“Tecta,” is all Cor has to say for her to give a resolute nod and position herself behind Gladio.  
The Galahdian soldier was on guard duty the previous times it happened.

“Sir...,” before Andro can finish, Cor is gently leading him towards Ignis with a firm hand on his elbow.

“They need us to act as their grounding rods. They are entering the king’s Armiger where a raging storm is going on. They need contact from the outside world, otherwise they’ll lose themselves.”  
Andro snaps to attention and slowly lowers his hand on Ignis’s shoulder mirroring Tecta’s position behind Gladio.

Cor quietly moves behind his charge, a firm hand placed on Prompto’s shoulder.  
Prompto quickly gives his head a small turn, never leaving Noctis’s knees mouthing a quick ‘thank you, father’.  
Cor replies with an encouraging smile.

Cor takes a deep breath. “We’re ready. You can begin.”

Andro is not sure what to expect, so he startles slightly when a whirlwind of blue crystals is suddenly bursting out of the center of their king’s chest, engulfing his friends in a vortex of light.

Andro stares at the scene with awe.

There seems to be no change to Noctis who is still breathing in pained shallow breaths.

His three retainers’ faces are strained in concentration. Sweat starting to bead their brows after a few minutes.

“How long will they need to keep this up,” Andro asks quietly as the last rays of sun have finally sunk behind the horizon.

“It usually doesn’t take longer than fifteen minutes,” Cor replies.  
“So, how...how often has this happened?” the young soldier stammers, as if not sure he is allowed to know such intimate details about their king.

“This is the fourth time in the two weeks we have surrendered the Crystal to Niflheim. Usually it was enough for either Ignis or Gladio to anchor him and he fully recovered right away after they managed to stabilize his magic...This is the worst one yet,” Cor finishes quietly.

A few more minutes pass, so Andro starts again, “How did they know they need to do this?” gesturing with his head towards the group of four still entangled by the blue light.

“Queen Lunafreya,” Cor replies, sounding almost relieved, “Thankfully with her and Lady Gentiana at our side, we might have a fighting chance.”

Andro didn’t understand, what had the Queen of Tenebrae, and her wife, the Messenger Divine to do with all this?

He was about to say as much when a noise from the couch interrupted him.

“Mhhhhh, Luna’s great,” Noctis mumbles, a lazy smile gracing his lips, eyes still closed.

“Your Majesty,” Cor starts, relieved.

Noctis releases a deep breath. His three retainers also stirring quietly.  
Cor gives Prompto’s shoulder a squeeze, Tecta and Andro mimicking his action.  
Slowly, the four of them untangle from each other, sitting upright but never fully stopping touching their king as if to ensure he is still with them.

Noctis, with his eyes still closed, is slowly circling his head in different directions to work out some tension from his neck.

“Noct?” Ignis tries quietly, his voice rasping slightly.  
“Yeah, I am alright, Specs. Give me a minute, please.“

Ignis nods, both him and Gladio standing up from the couch to give Noctis some space. Prompto following their lead.

Noctis shifts forward on the couch, resting his forearms on his thighs, clasping his hands together to let them rest between his knees. Head hanging low.

Prompto is staring questioningly at his dad.

“You guys have done the hard part. Now give His Majesty a bit of space so he can finish putting up his blocks.”

“His blocks?”

“To keep his magic contained.”

The small group looks on silently, as they witness their king’s quiet struggle with the insane power within him, his face scrunched up in concentration as he is building up his walls to tame the raging storm.

After a few minutes, Noctis releases another long breath, slowly straightening his back and raising to his feet. Looking more and more like their fearless young leader. Gladio is hovering behind him ready to catch him if he needed him to.

Another deep breath and Noctis finally opens his eyes.

Taking in the group of six worried faces, a gentle smile lights up his face.

“Thank you, guys.”

Andro has to gulp, not used to the proximity of His Majesty’s intense stare, practically exuding ‘power’. It’s leaving him rooted to the spot.

The other five bow slightly with their right fists over their hearts.

“So,” Noctis says as he turns on his heels towards his desk, clapping his hands together.  
“Where were we?” He strides towards his desk in sure steps. I believe my adviser was about to tell me about a plan the Oracle and her Partner in Divine had devised so we finally can kick the Starscourge’s ass.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Your Majesty,” Ignis walks over to stand in front of the desk. “May I suggest we call it a day today and resume our discussion tomorrow. You’ve had quite the day.”

“But Ignis!” Noctis is shuffling the papers, trying to organize them.

“There is so much to do!” He waves a particular thick agricultural report in Ignis’ face. 

“There is nothing wrong with getting rest a bit early today. The Wall has been extended and the Kingsglaive have the remaining deamon hunt well in hand. No use in running yourself ragged. We can discuss Luna’s plan tomorrow.” Ignis tries to reason with the young king. 

“Ignis is right, Noctis,” Cor interjects quietly. “We are not at outright war anymore. For once, time is on our side.”

Noct releases a stuttering breath. Ignis sees his resolve wavering.  
_He must be exhausted_

“Feels weird, doesn’t it.” Prompto mumbles. Not having to be on constant alert anymore and to just kick back for a bit?” He raises his arms above his head in an exaggerated stretch and flops on the couch putting up both his feet on the leather. 

Cor gives him a slightly disapproving look but doesn’t fully manage to hide his amusement at his son’s antics. 

“Your father will also be very happy to see you before he turns in for the night,” Gladio suggests. 

Noctis sags. He really didn’t have a chance when they all ganged up on him like that. Especially with the prospect of seeing is dad. 

“Mmph, fine!” Noctis finally concedes. “But you guys get some rest as well!” He points a stern royal finger at his retinue. 

“And Cor, take care of your injury!” He admonishes. “Prompto make sure your dad gets some rest!

“Can do your Majestheyyy!” Prompto hops over, giving Noctis a quick one armed hug before he bounces over to his adoptive father. 

“Come on, Dad! We still have this amazing stew that Ignis cooked for us!” He grabs the Marshal by his wrist and starts dragging him towards the door. Andro and Tecta follow after a quick bow to their king. 

One last shuffle of papers and a guilty look at them and Noctis turns to leave, his shield right at his heels. 

Noctis stops in front of Ignis putting both his hands on his adviser’s shoulders.

“Don’t stay up too late, Specs.” Noctis glances at Ignis with a warm, knowing smile. 

He leans in to rest his forehead against Ignis’. 

“Thank you for today,” Noctis whispers. 

“It is my pleasure, Your Majesty.” 

“Now, go to bed soon too.”

“No promises,” Ignis replies with a smile as the group retreats, leaving him the last one in the king’s office. 

Ignis efficiently finishes sorting the papers on the desk so they can pick up right where they left off tomorrow morning, as promised. 

He feels a bit like a hypocrite, telling Noctis to rest when he himself just doesn’t know how not to be ON all the time. 

But if anyone of them deserves a break, it’s Noctis. 

Ignis knows he won’t be able to sleep just yet, the multiple cups of Ebony he had today are also not helping. 

_Might as well get some work done._ Ignis thinks to himself as he closes the office door behind him and heads down the hall. 

————

Amongst the countless rooms of the Citadel, the king’s dressing room is Ignis’ favourite. 

Unlike the cathedral-like throne room or ornate council chambers, it has a bit more of a homey feel to it. 

A thick dark blue carpet covers most of the polished wooden floor, creaking with age at each step.  
The walls are lined with panels of the same dark wood as they reach the slanted ceiling, which is painted in a warm beige.  
There is a big arched window on one side of the room showing one of the small roof gardens of the Citadel.  
Prompto loves to take pictures of it, Noctis just likes to watch the fish..and Ignis and Gladio, they just enjoy the peace, the hustle and bustle of the Crown City muted to a dull hum this high up. 

There is a big low table in the centre of the room, a recliner and various chairs surrounding it.  
Big wardrobes hug two of the walls filled with Noctis’ formal and casual wear.

Some of the king’s more ornate outfits, like his official raiment he wears to meet with dignitaries, are put on mannequins so they can be kept in tip top shape. 

And Ignis loves to do just that. Although technically not his job, Ignis derives joy from brushing down the dark fabrics and polishing the gold clasps. The methodical task giving his mind peace from all the stress of his daily dealings as the king’s adviser. 

Gladio often teases Ignis about his ‘hobby’. But Ignis also knows that the wisened Royal Taylor Sean is grateful for the small help. He just had turned 65; Noctis had insisted they bake him a cake. 

Ignis gives the black leather shoes of the raiment one last shine before he moves to the probably most used and damaged looking outfit. 

Noctis’ tactical gear and uniform. 

Once Noctis reached the age of seventeen, the crown prince would join the Kingsglaive on the battlefield.  
While the Kingsglaive still would draw their magic from King Regis’ waning power, the prince’s presence served as an exponential amplifier of their magic out in the field. 

Ignis polishes the gear’s shoulder armour, full of nicks and bumps from countless battles. 

One very large scratch, Ignis still remembers very well how it got there.

It was about three years ago, the day started in the very same room he found himself in now. 

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXV

Ignis is darting around Noctis’ dressing room methodically. Assembling the gear for the upcoming battle.

In the last few years of the war against the deamons, Noctis’ dressing chamber was turned into a makeshift briefing room. A pretty unusual place for a tactical meeting, but they learned it was much more efficient and easier on the prince that way.

Noctis’ daily seven hour sessions with the Crystal is already leaving them with a a very small window to operate. This gave Noctis a chance to rest, be briefed and gear up for the battle at the same time. 

Ignis just finished laying out Noctis’ thigh holster, when his phone rings.  
Ignis knew who it was without even looking at the Caller ID.  
It was 1 pm. Noctis’ session just had ended. Meaning, it was Gladio informing him of their arrival.

“It’s me. We’ll be there in five”  
“Understood,” Ignis hangs up and goes back to finish the preparations.

If it was up to Ignis, he’d rather stay at Noctis’ side during his time with the Crystal, like he did during the first three years. But with the increase in demon activity, Noctis insisted Ignis’ skill as a tactician were much more needed than wasting it ‘watching him staring at a rock’. 

Ignis had very reluctantly agreed. It would have been so much easier if it was just a simple thing like staring at a rock.

Just as promised, a few minutes later, a light knock on the door and Ignis rushes over to open it. 

In comes Gladio, with Noctis’ right arm draped over his shoulder. The prince is slumped against his shield’s side, head hanging low, chin almost touching his chest. Slowly shuffling one foot in front of the other. Gladio’s left arm a firm band around his charge’s waist. 

“‘Lo Ignis,” Noctis mumbles without looking up. His voice cracks at the first syllable, undoubtedly raw from the screams the crystal would rip out of the young man. 

Ignis immediately moves to the other side, ducking his head under Noctis’ arm, steering them towards a soft leather recliner in the centre of the room. 

“Your Highness,” Ignis replies softly as he and Gladio gently lower the prince down to get some rest. 

Ignis gave up asking Noctis how he felt after his time with the Crystal a while ago. It annoyed Noctis to no end when he had to repeat himself that we was ‘fine’. Not only that, but even if he wasn’t ‘fine’, there was not much of a choice. 

Noctis was needed at the frontline on an almost daily basis. 

The Glaives couldn’t draw their magic from Noctis directly until after his coronation, but they needed his raw power to support them.  
When the crown prince was close to them they could tap more into the power of the crystal. 

Also, thanks to Gladio’s training, at the age of seventeen, Noctis was a damn good fighter. Not at the level of his teacher or Nyx, the Captain of the Glaives, but combined with his magic, he was a force to be reckoned with.

“Get some rest, Princess. We’ll brief you in a bit.” 

“‘Kay,” Noctis mumbles. He is spread out on his back on the recliner, one arm draped over his eyes the other resting on his stomach, one leg propped up on the couch. 

Cor enters the room without even looking up, his eyes never leaving the data pad in his hands, going over the duty roster for today’s deployment. 

Behind him Prompto and Nyx follow, quietly chatting. 

“Your Highness,” Cor greets, briefly glancing up to the prone figure on the couch. 

Noctis gives him a quick wave with the hand that is covering his eyes. 

Prompto and Nyx also utter a short greeting to their friend and place themselves at the far side of the room. The usually rowdy duo having a subdued chat about their team’s assignments, so they would not disturb Noctis.

The group is keeping busy with last preparations for a few minutes, very quietly, so their prince can get some rest. 

After twenty minutes, Cor turns reluctantly to Noctis. 

“Your Highness. It’s time.”

Ignis walks over to the small fridge he had installed. He takes out Noctis’ favourite energy drink and high calorie protein bar.

Noctis slowly pulls himself up into a sitting position. 

Ignis hands him the food and drink and Noctis accepts it with a grateful smile. Ignis rather had cooked a proper meal for him, but that would have to wait until their return.

“What’s the status,” Noctis asks as he unwraps the protein bar and starts nibbling, standing up to get a better view of the map Cor put on the small table in front of the recliner

Cor taps on the pad to enlarge a section of Duscae, marked as Schier Heights. The satellite photo shows a massive rockslide.

“This morning, we’ve received intel from a group of scouts in Duscae. A small group of refugees on the way to Insomnia was caught in a rockslide when seeking shelter from a storm in the Daurell Caverns. We’ll need Your Highness to blast through the rock with your magic. Our arrival will put us there at 430 hours; so close to nightfall, we’ll also have to prepare for heavy deamon activity.”

“Damn it.” Noctis flexes his right hand. His whole arm shaking with small tremors. A ripple of blue running along the limb.  
“Today’s session has not left me very stable.” Noctis admits, angry with himself. 

“How many refugees are we talking?” He asks. 

Cor taps on the data pad to reveal heat-signatures behind the rock. “A group of twenty.“

Noct studies the picture mulling over options. 

He faces Nyx .  
“I don’t want to risk any of the Glaives getting caught in the explosion. I’ll be only able to shield the refugees from the magic blast. So you’ll have to position your unit at least 150 feet away. Around here.”

Noctis points at an area west of the rockslide. 

“Prompto, you and your snipers will position up here.”

He indicates an elevated rocky platform about 150 feet south, facing the cave entrance. 

“You guys pick off any deamons you can see from that vantage point once I blast through the rock. Ignis, Gladio and I will cover your backs. This spot gives me a good range to cast my magic.”

The men nod, their Prince’s logic sound. It was not their first rodeo. 

“Good plan, Prince!” Nyx grins at him proudly. “Prompto and I’ll brief the team right away.”

A quick salute from the two and they turn to leave, heads stuck together already discussing the finer points of the assignments. 

“Can I check in with my dad before we go? I’ll need to stabilize a bit If I don’t want to risk an uncontrolled explosion of my magic.” Noctis is looking at them pleadingly. He knows they are running short on time. 

“Of course, Your Highness,” Cor replies. “Nyx’ll await you in the hangar bay.“ A sharp bow and Cor turns on his heel quickly striding out of the room. 

“Let’s have you sit back down, Your Highness,” Ignis says. 

Noct flops down heavily, scooting forward until he sits at the edge of the recliner. He takes a sip of soda. The can is shaking slightly in his hand, his arm still racked with tremors.  
Gladio sits down next to him, taking the can out of his hand and gently holding Noctis’ hand in his, inspecting it as if looking for injuries.

“How bad?”  
“My hand is fine today, but my shoulder is killing me...Do you..do you mind?” Noctis asks quietly, looking at Gladio. 

“Say no more!” Gladio replies with a gentle smile as he moves to kneel behind Noctis on the recliner.

Even after seven years, Gladio and Ignis still don’t fully understand what the experience is like for Noctis when he is with the Crystal, incrementally absorbing its vast power.  
Noctis usually doesn’t want to talk about it or in the rare occasions when he does, he seems to be struggling for words to describe it. 

When Noctis was a kid, he would just float in the air surrounded by the Crystal’s light.  
The older he got, the more _adamant _it became to imbue Noctis with its power. Now, the Crystal’s blue light resembled more of a fierce thunderstorm with Noct suspended within, bolts of energy crackling around him.__

The electric shocks often leaving his muscles to cramp and spasm for hours after the session.

Gladio kneels behind Noctis and starts kneading the knots out of his right shoulder.  
Ignis gently takes off Noctis’ hoody, working in perfect unison with Gladio.

Noctis is practically melting under Gladio’s treatment. Noctis unbuttons his dress shirt and Ignis helps to pull his arms out of his sleeves. He hands him the thinly meshed undershirt which Noctis shrugs on, Gladio never ceasing his ministrations. 

____

It took yeas for Noctis to accept their unconditional support like this.  
Balking at the constant attention and assistance he seemed to require. But Noctis came to understand there are people relying on him on the battlefield, so he in return had to rely on them. There was only so much his body could take. He was only human after all. 

____

In the end, Noctis just learned to enjoy the rare quiet times he got with his closest friends. 

____

Ignis removes the uniform jacket from the mannequin and brings it over. 

____

The Crown Prince’s uniform is cut very similarly to the Kingsglaives’. The only main difference it being in the royal colours of black and gold while the Kingsglaives’ and Crownsguards’ were a silver and grey.

____

If it was up to Noctis, he would just fight in sweats and a T-shirt.  
Ignis keeps insisting that would be highly improper and assured him it does wonders to the army’s morale to see the crown prince in their uniform. 

____

Noctis raises to his full height, gently tapping Gladio’s hand on his shoulder. 

____

“Thanks Big Guy, I am good now.”

____

Ignis guides his arms into the sleeves from behind and walks to stand in front of him to help him fastening the multitudes of buttons on each side of the frock. 

____

The prince has had a growth spurt recently. Noctis was only half joking when he said it was probably the Crystal’s doing, needing a ‘bigger vessel’.  
Combined with the constant battles and training, he put on a lot of lean muscle striking an imposing figure in his uniform.  
Ignis was stupidly proud of him. 

____

Next, Ignis brings over the heavy shoulder pauldrons, lowering it over Noctis’ head, tightening the various buckles and clamps.  
“All set, Your Highness.” Ignis brushes over the short cape attached at the back of the shoulder armour. 

____

“Thanks, Specs.”  
Noctis materializes his earpiece out of the Armiger and hooks it over his right ear as he leans down to put on the long leather boots to complete the outfit. 

____

Gladio hands Noctis a small sidearm.  
Noctis accepts it with a scowl but loops the holster around his waist and secures the strap around his right thigh. 

____

“Until you have full control of your magic, this stays, Princess.” As if to prove his point, another ripple of blue travels down Noctis’ arm. 

____

Gladio just smirks. 

____

“Fine,” Noctis grumbles and stuffs the last bite of protein bar into his mouth. 

____

He grabs the fingerless gloves from the small side table and the trio leaves the room to head to the king’s chambers.

____

———————-

____

King Regis is sitting in a wheelchair next to the window looking out at Insomnia’s skyscrapers twinkling in the afternoon sun. Clarus, his shield sitting on a footstool next to him.  
He rises as he sees the three men approach. 

____

“Hi Dad!” A big grin splits Noctis’ face as he walks towards his father.

____

“Son!” Regis turns around and reaches for his son, a warm smile brightening up his face.

____

Noctis grabs his hands and kneels down in front of his father. 

____

“How are you feeling today?” 

____

“I am perfectly fine, Son. You on the other hand...Cor has told me today’s session has left your magic a bit unstable again?”

____

Regis reaches up and brushes Noctis’ fringe from his forehead with a scrutinizing gaze. 

____

Noct leans into the touch. “Just a bit. Would you mind if...,” always a bit hesitant to ask his ailing father for help. 

____

“Of course not!”

____

Noctis positions the footstool that Clarus had occupied a bit closer to his father’s chair. Clarus gives Noctis a quick bow and moves over to wait with Ignis and Gladio. 

____

____

As father and son face each other, Regis firmly grasps his son’s hand. 

____

“Close your eyes, Noct. Deep breaths in and out.”

____

Noctis closes his eyes, listening to his father’s voice.  
A ripple of blue surges through him, making the prince gasp and scrunch up his face in pain. 

____

“Breath through it, son. In and out. That’s it.”

____

“It’s just so much,” Noctis pants.

____

“Stay calm, Noctis. Keep breathing. You are the one in control here. Feel the magic flow through you, try not to fight it.”

____

“I’m ...I’m trying.”

____

“Yes, I know you are, Son.” The utter look of despair on Regis’ face has Ignis’ breath catch in his throat. 

____

Slowly, Noctis is gaining back control, breathing slowly, his face relaxing. 

____

“That’s it. You’re doing so well, my dear, dear boy.“

____

A small smile lights up Noctis’ face. Praise from his dad never fails to please the young prince. 

____

“Now let’s begin.”

____

Regis is closing his eyes as well and after a few seconds, the blue light of the Lucian magic emerges from Noct’s core, travelling towards his dad. 

____

The older man absorbs a bit of his son’s magic to keep him more stable for the upcoming battle. Siphoning off just enough, for the vessel not to spill over. 

____

“Ok, Dad. That’s enough,” Noctis says quietly.  
“Dad!” A bit more forceful when Regis still doesn’t give any signs to stop. 

____

Noctis snatches his hands back.

____

“Dad, stop pushing yourself,” he admonishes the king. 

____

“It’s the least I can do, my son.” Regis replies sadly. 

____

Noct leans in for a quick hug. Regis gives his son a soft kiss on the top of his head. 

____

“Be safe out there.”

____

“We will.”

____

“Come on guys, let’s go.”

____

“Clarus.”

____

“Your Highness.”

____

————————-

____

The three of them walk towards the hangar where Prompto and Nyx are waiting with their teams. Cor had already left with one of the bigger aircrafts and a couple of Crownsguard to prepare for the refugees’ eventual transportation. 

____

There were six Kingsglaive on Nyx’s team ‘Alpha’ and four snipers on Prompto’s team ‘Beta’.

____

They all stand at attention as their crown prince approaches. 

____

“Prompto and Nyx have briefed you already, so you know the situation.” 

____

Noctis pauses, taking in his comrades’ faces. 

____

“We’ve faced countless battles together. You are all incredibly capable soldiers and I trust you with my life. These refugees need us at our absolute best today.  
I won’t be able to give you as much cover with my magic as usual today. So I need you to watch each others’ backs.”

____

“Yes, Your Highness.” They sound in unison.

____

Ignis never got tired of watching the spark Noctis managed to light in his soldiers’ eyes. 

____

Over the years, they had fought legions of demons together. Forming an unbreakable bond of loyalty and trust. Noct trusted them with his life, but the Glaives also knew Noctis would do everything in his power to protect them with his magic. 

____

The units split up and board two of the Kingsglaive’s attack helicopters. 

____

Prompto and his snipers following Noctis, Gladio and Ignis. 

____

They sit down on the hard benches among gear and equipment, having idle conversation as they fall into the familiar routine of strapping themselves into the seats for their two hour flight. 

____

They lift off towards Duscae.  
Noctis makes himself comfortable next to his shield, eyes closed arms crossed over his chest, using Gladio’s broad shoulders and arms as a cushion. 

____

They haven’t even reached the city limits yet when Noctis is out like a light. 

____

Gladio gently reaches over to Noctis and takes out his earpiece so the chatter among the soldiers wouldn’t disturb him. 

____

The Glaives look at the all too familiar scene with both fond and sad smiles. 

____

After an uneventful flight, they land on a clearing about a mile from Schier Heights, dense foliage making it impossible to land closer. 

____

They rendezvous with Cor at the designated area about 150 feet west of the rockslide. By the time they get there, the sun had long sunk behind the horizon. The only source of light now the pale moonlight and the flashlights on their uniforms. 

____

“Report, Marshall.” Noctis commands.

____

“Our probe managed to sneak a headset through the cracks, we do have contact with the inside. They seem all to be in good health, just a few cuts and bruises.  
Our point of contact’s name is Dave.”

____

“Good work.” Noctis responds. “Alright guys, let’s get in position.”

____

Prompto gestures his team to pick up the gear and they follow Noctis, Ignis and Gladio as they climb up the craggy path to get a better vantage point of the Durrell Caves.

____

At an elevation of about 50 feet, the large rocky outcropping gives them a good view of the whole area. Below them on the left, Ignis can see Nyx and his unit set up their perimeter. The massive boulders blocking the cave entrance ahead of them, are barely visible in the moonlight. 

____

Noctis touches his earpiece.

____

“Cor, do you read me.”

____

“Loud and clear.” 

____

“This is Prince Noctis speaking.” Noctis addresses Dave. “My apologies for the delay, but we’ll get you out of there now, ok?”

____

For a moment all they hear is static crackling over their open channel. 

____

“.....ave...’s Dave, can you read me?”

____

“I read you Dave, are you ready to get out of there?”

____

Dave has to raise his voice over the relieved cheers of his companions in the background. 

____

“You bet we are, Your Highness! Thank you for the assist!”

____

“My pleasure. Now listen, I need you to stay very calm. I’ll create a wall of magic around your group while I’ll explode the rocks. My wall will protect you from the blast but you need to huddle together so I can keep the radius small.”

____

“Understood, Your Highness!”

____

Ignis strides over to Noctis with a data pad in his hand showing him the heat-signatures of the refugees huddling together to make themselves as small as possible. 

____

While Noctis studies the map so he could guide his magic safely, Prompto and his snipers position themselves on their bellies at the edge of the outcrop’s precipice. 

____

____

Gladio and Ignis ready themselves in a fighting stance, back to back with Noctis protecting the rear. 

____

The prince stretches one arm in front of him, focusing deep to pull on his magic, when suddenly all hell breaks loose. 

____

Big purple bubbles emerge from the ground like grotesque mushrooms, spawning a Red Giant right in front of Cor and the Glaives. 

____

“Cor!” Noctis bellows into the earpiece over the booming sound of the massive demon smashing its sword into the ground, kicking up clouds of debris and dust. 

____

“Hold your position! I am on my way!”

____

“Ice bombs incoming, they are circling Alpha Team,” Prompto raises his voice over the mayhem.  
“Beta Team, fire at will!”

____

The snipers take aim and start to eliminate the bombs with razor sharp precision. 

____

“The hell, none of our intel said anything about Giants in these parts!” Gladio growls, half turning to look at the chaos at the base of the outcropping. Looking ready to jump in any second. 

____

“The arrival is a bit too convenient,” Ignis muses.

____

“Please, you have to stay up here and protect the snipers. It’s only a matter of time until we get deamon activity up here.  
I need them to pick off all the small fry so the Glaives can distract the Giant while I finish it off.”

____

“I don’t like this Noct...”

____

“Believe me big guy, If you could wield a royal arm, I totally would let you have all the fun. Those bastards are a real workout!” Noctis says with a small smile. 

____

But Ignis sees a bit of fear linger in his eyes. They learned the hard way that is was only a royal arm that could deal real damage to that particular breed of deamon. 

____

“Please.”

____

“Of course, Your Highness,” Ignis answers his eyes constantly roaming the outcrop for deamons coming their way. 

____

“Hmmpf.” Gladio gives a firm nod. 

____

Noctis materializes his grandfather’s sword and throws it with all his might down the side of the outcrop, warping after it towards the chaos of the battlefield, leaving a trail of blue magic behind. 

____

Noctis lands his warp strike right next to Cor.  
The Glaives were holding their own against the Giant but were not able to inflict any damage at all so they only could stay on the defensive. 

____

Noctis doesn’t stay still for long, just a quick nod to Cor and he throws the sword towards the deamon. 

____

Ignis tries to keep an eye on Noct, but all he can make out is a bouncing ball of blue energy flitting all over the battlefield below them. The prince lands hits and blows, while the Glaives distract the Giant with big moves to keep its attention away from the annoying little fly eating away at its strength. 

____

Ignis is counting the warp strikes in his head.

____

_He’ll hit statis soon_

____

Noctis tries to dodge a wide downward slash of the sword with a second warp midair, but his tank is empty. He tumbles to the ground, softening his fall by tucking himself to a roll. 

____

Immediately, two of the Glaives drag Noctis behind them shielding him.

____

Nyx hurtles towards them, crashing on his knees next to the prince, breaking an elixir over him. 

____

Noctis gives Nyx a grateful tap on his arm and throws himself back towards the Giant. 

____

A few more well placed strikes, and finally the monster is falling to its knees, dissolving into the ground in a fizzing bubble of purple energy. 

____

One more throw, and Noctis materializes back on top of the outcrop next to Ignis. Ignis gives him a good once over.  
The prince is sweaty and breathing hard but otherwise uninjured.  
Ignis hands Noctis another elixir which he breaks it over himself. 

____

“That was a pretty big fall. I thought I told you to get to a Glaive _before_ you hit full stasis.” Gladio complains. His back still turned to them as he is scouting for possible enemies.

____

“Yeah yeah, give me a break, Big Guy,” Noctis grumbles good-naturedly. 

____

He uses the back of his gloved hand to wipe off the worst of the grime and sweat from his face and taps on the earpiece.

____

“Sorry Dave, we had to take care of a couple of things out here first! How are we looking in there.”

____

“Still hanging in there, Your Highness!“

____

“Ok good, get ready now!”

____

____

For a second time, Noctis is stretching out his right arm conjuring the magical energy to create the field. 

____

A powerful ripple distorts the air. Ignis darts forward, handkerchief in hand as blood starts dripping from Noctis’ nostrils. 

____

“Your Highness, we see your wall!” Dave exclaimed ecstatically. 

____

“Great!” Noctis replies with a smile as he takes the cloth from Ignis and stashes it away, the flow of blood temporarily stopped.

____

Noctis raises his arm yet again. This time, the raw elemental energy of ice magic forming around his fist. He shoots it out with a blast, freezing the barrier of rocks trapping the refugees.  
Noctis’ eyes are shut tight in concentration as he lets the ice around his hand transforms into fire. 

____

Ignis notices with worry that the blood started flowing again. 

____

“Alright, here goes nothing,” Noctis mumbles and pushes.

____

Noctis screams as his magic rips out of him, a stream of fire shooting towards the icy rocks, evaporating them in an enormous cloud of steam. 

____

____

For a few seconds, they barely can see anything through the thick fog in the darkness. When it clears, it reveals the group of refugees huddled together, protected by a dome of magic. 

____

Nyx and his team erupt in cheers, Dave and his group hug each other in tearful relief. 

____

“Good job, everyone,” Noctis says as he crumbles to his knees, dissolving the wall with a sigh of relief. He pulls out the tissue he had received from Ignis and holds it to his still dripping nose. 

____

The refugees just begin to gather their things and leave when Prompto’s frantic shouts interrupt the joyous mood. 

____

“Team Alpha, you have incoming, a pack of demonized Vorethooths is approaching from the east!”

____

Still kneeling, Noctis reaches for his earpiece with one hand, the other trying to stem the nose bleed now staining his teeth and chin all they way to his neck. “Cor, hold your position, Prompto’ll cover you from here.”

____

“Prom, do your best.”

____

“Always.” Prompto’s eyes never taking off his eyes from the targets, his aim as true as ever as he picks off the predators when they get too close to their comrades or the refugees.

____

There are so many of them. Ignis can count a pack of 20 circling their prey. 

____

Noctis reaches in deep, tapping into the reserve the Crystal gave him today. He really hoped he didn’t have to. 

____

The air ripples yet again and a barrier of magic is formed around the group of the vulnerable refugees. 

____

“Ignis..,” Noctis’ exhausted voice spurred Ignis to turn towards the prince. 

____

Ignis breaks a potion over Noctis which slows down the bleeding. He replaces the bloody tissue with a new one. He helps Noct to raise on his shaky legs. 

____

“Ignis, eyes forward!” Gladio bellows. “We have incoming!”

____

Ignis and Noct swivel around. In a bubble of purple miasma, an Iron Giant is clawing its way to this world, its form almost taking up the whole confines of the outcrop.

____

“The hell! Those things are popping up like mushrooms. Well, mushrooms I wouldn’t eat even if Ignis cooked them!” Prompto screams over the deafening noise of the demon’s rage. 

____

____

“Noct, don’t worry about us. I got the team covered. You do your thing!” 

____

“Thanks, Prom!” Noct glances back over his shoulder towards the still holding wall with trepidation. 

____

A ripple of blue sizzling over his arm. He curses under his breath as he shakes out the limb. 

____

“Let’s finish this quickly, Princess. We’ve got you!” Gladio shouts, his eyes never leaving the advancing form of the Giant. 

____

“Right...” Noctis stashes the tissue away and tries summoning his grandfather’s blade. It appears for a few seconds before it shatters into a burst of blue crystals, leaving Noctis hunched over and breathing hard. 

____

Gladio is already trading heavy blows with the deamon, making the rock underneath them quake. 

____

“Focus, Noctis!” Ignis yells, joining Gladio in the attack. “You know what to do. Remember your father’s words!”

_You are the one in control here_

Taking a deep breath, Noctis goes inward to tame his raging magic. With a pained grown from the prince, the weapon materializes, staying stable this time and a second later Noctis is throwing it with all his strength towards the Giant’s head. 

____

Ignis and Gladio are trading blows to expose weak spots in its defence, ready for Noct to exploit them with his powerful warp strikes. 

____

After a flurries of warps, Noctis lands on an elevated platform catching his breath and letting his magic recover.  
The Giant’s back is facing him, angered by Gladio’s deft blows and Ignis’ quick stinging attacks. 

____

“It’s on its last legs, Noctis!” Gladio shouts. 

____

Noctis prepares for the final blow, aiming for its already injured right leg and throws the sword. 

____

As if the Giant feels its incoming doom, it turns around quicker than a beast of that size should be allowed to, its colossal sword meeting Noctis’ body head on as soon as he exits his warp. 

____

Noctis barely manages to turn his body so it hits the broadside of the sword instead of being impaled on the point. 

____

The sheer force of the impact throws the prince in a wall of rocks at the opposite side of the outcrop, far away from either Ignis’ or Gladio’s support. He lands on his back with a heavy thud, groaning as the air is knocked out of this lungs, sword dissolving into the ether. 

____

“Prom, is the wall still holding?” Noctis is winded, running on pure adrenaline by now. He is rolling over on to his knees, struggling to get back on his feet. 

____

“It’s still up. Don’t worry about us, Noct. I’ve go this! The Voretooth pack is down to five!”

____

The deamon is zeroing in on Noctis, running towards him with heavy steps, leaving Gladio and Ignis scrambling after it. 

____

Noctis tries summoning the sword, but nothing solid wants to manifest in his hand. 

____

He reaches for his sidearm, pulls it out and fires. It’s like flies against a windshield but its seems to be confusing the giant enough to slow him down. Enough for Gladio to throw himself between the prince and the demon’s sword aiming to slice Noctis in two. 

____

Gladio grunts at the impact. The blade of the demon grinding against his broadsword. He tries to dig in his heels but the immense force of the blow barrels Gladio into Noctis who was standing behind him on trembling legs.

____

They crash to the ground, Noctis’s barely able to brace as his chest and legs are crushed by the bigger man’s weight. The Giant presses on to Gladio’s sword with a single minded focus, totally ignoring Ignis’ frantic strikes at its back. As if it was determined to squash Gladio, just to get to Noctis. 

____

The shield is straining against the sword. The deamon’s sword getting closer and closer to Noctis’ exposed right shoulder.

____

“Noct, I need you to phase out of here,” Gladio pants through gritted teeth.

____

“Believe me Gladdy, I totally would if I could, you are not exactly light!!” Pushing against the weight, trying and failing to get a grip on his magic. 

____

The Giant’s sword point is now scraping along Noctis’ shoulder armour. 

____

“Your Highness, I won’t be able to hold much longer.” 

____

Gladio’s rare solemn use of his title shakes Noctis.  
He focuses, trying to grasp the fraying edges of the newly gathered magic, fighting for control. It was like catching lighting in a bottle. 

____

_Feel the magic flow through you. Try not to fight it._

____

Then, Noctis dissolves into a silhouette of crystals reappearing next to Ignis. 

____

The small gap he leaves behind gives Gladio just enough room to roll out from under the Giant’s sword. 

____

It roars in anger. 

____

“Noct!” Gladio lowers his broadsword flat to the ground.

____

“Yeah!” Noct sprints forward, feet landing with practiced ease on the sword’s blade as Gladio vaults him with all his might into the air. 

____

Mid air, the prince twists around throwing the royal arm towards the Giant’s exposed throat. The distance of the warp, giving the strike enough power to bring the demon to its knees. 

____

It dissolves into a hissing puddle of miasma on the ground. 

____

For a few seconds, the three men say nothing at they stare at each other. Breathing heavily covered in grime and Noctis’ case blood. 

____

“You,” Noctis huffs between breaths cradling his ribs, “need to go on a diet, my friend.”

____

“Ha,” Gladio rumbles with a laugh throwing a gentle arm around Noctis shoulder.  
“You mean a vegetable-less diet like you, Princess? Sure I can do that.” 

____

Noctis huffs a laugh.

____

“Let’s please get out of here. I am not sure I can take another one of those.”

____

“Outstanding work, Noct.” Ignis smiles at him as he breaks another potion over his form.  
“Let’s get back to the Citadel where you can get some rest.”

____

“That’s the best thing I have heard all day.”

____

They walk back towards Prompto and his unit, Gladio a solid wall against Noctis. 

____

“Well done, Prom!” Noct gives his friend a quick high five. Team Beta made quick work of the pack.

____

“Good job, team!” Noct faces the snipers who smile at him at the praise. 

____

“We’re all clear up here. Coming your way now.” Noctis speaks into the earpiece.

____

“Copy.”

____

They walk down the rocky path towards Cor, Nyx, his unit and the group of refugees who all have huddled under blankets. 

____

A cheer goes through the tired group when they see the prince walking towards them flanked by Prompto Ignis and Gladio. 

____

Ignis’ hand is hovering close to Noctis’ lower back. He knows Noct is merely running on fumes right now and is only still standing upright because his people need him. 

____

“My apologies again that it took us so long to get to you. Rest assured, you are all going to be brought back to Insomnia safely and we’ll get you all the help you need so you can make a new home there. You have my word.” Noctis promises them solemnly.

____

Dave’s eyes looks suspiciously misty. He puts his fist over his heart and bows to Noctis.

____

“Thank you, Your Highness. We can’t thank you enough!”

____

There is a quite murmur of agreement, mixed with sniffles and genuine happy smiles. 

____

Noctis smiles back. “It is my pleasure.” 

____

The Kingsglaive and Crownsguard usher them gently towards the plane. 

____

Cor walks up to Noctis, eyes roaming up and down the prince’s body with a critical eye. His gaze lingers first on the large scratch on Noctis’ shoulder armour and then stops at his blood smeared face.  
He gently takes the younger man’s chin between his fingers and turns his head in both directions. 

____

Noctis looks up to him through his messy bangs with an almost sheepish look. 

____

“You all did good tonight.” Cor praises gently, taking in the trio behind the prince. 

____

He gives Noctis a gentle pat on the cheek. “Now let’s go home and get some rest.”

____

“Yes, Sir!” Noctis mutters with a smile. 

____

Now, being among his closest friends only, the prince let’s his guard down and all but collapses into his shield’s arms, the utter exhaustion finally taking over his body.

____

Both Ignis and Gladio coax him forward, supporting him on both sides. Prompto runs ahead towards the chopper, preparing one of the medical stretchers to a makeshift bed.

____

Once they are on board, Prompto lends his thighs as a pillow for Noctis’ head, the prince’s legs draped over Gladio’s leg. Ignis makes it his job to wipe the blood off Noct’s face. Once that is done, he sits down next to Gladio, keeping a watchful eye over the group.

____

That’s how they stay all they way to Insomnia. 

____

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXV

____

Ignis is deep in thoughts as he traces the faint scar the Giant’s sword left behind on the pauldron, visible even after extensive repair. 

____

The intel they had gathered on this mission and many others, had confirmed Ignis’ suspicion, there was more at work than just regular deamon activity. 

____

Deamons’ timely appearance whenever they had a rescue mission and their sole obsession with killing Noct...It showed a bit too much individuality from the beasts. For many centuries they were thought to be just mindless creatures driven only by hunger for human flesh. 

____

They would talk about it tomorrow, but Gentiana and Luna confirmed his suspicion earlier. 

____

There was someone controlling the deamons. And that someone always seemed to be a step ahead of them. 

____

Ignis shivers. He somehow got the feeling that the worst fights were still yet to come.

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might or might not have considered adding Yoda!Regis as a tag. Lol


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis springs into action, grabbing Noctis’ shoulders and gently guiding him down until he is kneeling on the floor. 
> 
> Prompto and Gladio immediately catch on and surround Noctis with their embrace at his back. 
> 
> Ignis lifts one hand from Noctis’ shoulder cupping his face, staring imploringly at the king. 
> 
> “We are with you. We’ll guide you through it.” Ignis rests both hands on his shoulders again, squeezing them hard.
> 
> Noctis gives a terse nod in response, his breath had quickened and he had started to tremble. This time Gladio was sure it was not because of the Crystal.  
> He has never seen Noct so scared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, not a lot of plot happening in this chapter, just more self indulgent Noct Whump. (Sorry,not sorry :))  
> The plot stuff came at the second part of the chapter but it got too long so I decided to split it up.

“Keep your shoulders down! Shoulders down, elbows in,” Gladio encourages Prompto.  
“That’s it! You got it!”

The barbell falls back into the hooks with a resounding ‘clunk’, Gladio guiding it to make sure it doesn’t actually land on Prompto who is sprawled out on the bench underneath. 

“You actually did it,” Gladio grins, “you beat your record!”

“Ohhhh yeah, you better watch out Gladio. You’ll get some serious competition soon!” Prompto jumps up from the bench practically bouncing with energy. 

“You did good, kid.” Gladio turns to pick up his towel from a rack of weights and drapes it over his shoulders. 

“You’re leaving already?” Prompto pouts, “these still have some power left in them.”  
He flexes his biceps to emphasize his point. 

Gladio takes a swig of this water bottle.

“Yeah, I have to wake up Noct. Unless you want to have the honours,” Gladio says with a grin in between sips. 

Prompto’s cheeks, still red from the exercise pale considerably as if he was asked to go a round with a behemoth with his bare fists and not to wake up his best friend at eight in the morning. 

“I swear he _hissed_ at me last time I tried to wake him up. I thought he was about to scratch my eyes out.” 

Gladio chuckles. “Can’t blame him. He only has what...like ten years of sleep to catch up on? I’ll see you later in the meeting.”

“Ok see you there, Big Guy!”

——————————————————————————

After a quick shower Gladio makes his way to Noctis’ chambers. 

His hair is still damp when he enters the large bedroom. He haphazardly throws his towel over the back of one of the chairs. It surely would irk Iggy later. 

He barely can make out Noct’s silhouette on the bed, the black curtains blocking out most of the morning sun. 

Gladio makes sure to stomp his feet loudly as he walks towards the window.

“Rise and shine, Your Majesty!” Gladio bellows as he draws open the curtains with gusto. 

Now with the light streaming through the windows, Gladio can get a good look at the king. 

Noctis was lying on his side, facing the door, his dark bangs falling over his eyes. The blanket rests low over his hip. One arm is trapped under his pillow the other one spread out limply in front of his chest. 

He has not stirred once since Gladio had entered. The shield walks towards the bed, giving the frame a kick with his heavy boot. 

“Enough beauty sleep, Princess!”

Not even a tired whine or a blanket pulled over his head. Just absolute stillness. 

Gladio’s amused smirk turns into a frown. 

He leans down taking a closer look. Noctis’ face is glistening with sweat. His thin white sleeping shirt clinging to his frame.

Real worry is spiking in Gladio. 

The mattress dips under his weight as he sits down on the edge of the bed. 

Gladio grabs hold of Noctis’ clammy shoulder and gives his charge a good shake.  
Noct is boneless under Gladio’s hand. Fully frantic now, the shield keeps shaking Noctis’ shoulder.

“Noct! Noct, can you hear me. Noct!!”

The king stays like a rag doll under his hand.

“Guard!” Gladio shouts at the top of his lungs. 

Andro is stumbling through the door with a shocked expression. 

“Sir?”

“Go get Ignis!” 

It takes only a split second for him to understand the situation. Andro bolts outside to get Ignis from his rooms next door. 

Mere seconds later, Ignis comes sprinting in, zeroing in on the lifeless form of their king. 

“What happened?” Ignis asks as he kneels with one leg on the edge of the bed to hover over Noctis’ form, feeling his temperature and pulse. 

“I found him like this,” Gladio utters, dazed. “Ignis, I can’t get him to wake up.” The stark fear in Gladio’s eyes mirrored in Ignis’. 

“He has a pulse, it is very slow and his breathing is shallow. Can you have him sit upright,” Ignis asks pragmatically. 

The mattress dips more as Gladio moves behind Noctis. He brushes the blanket aside and pulls Noct towards him flipping him from his sideways position to have Noct’s back rest against his chest.  
The king is a deadweight in his arms, Noctis’ head lolling back over Gladio’s bicep. 

Ignis reaches his hand behind Noctis’ head and gently rearranges it to rest against Gladio’s collarbone to ease the strain on his neck. 

The adviser runs his hands over Noctis’ body, looking for any external injuries that could possibly have caused this. 

Ignis hisses has his fingers brush over Noctis’ hand that holds the Ring of Lucis. It is burning hot. 

“This must be Crystal related.” Ignis looks up to Gladio.  
“We have to go in there. He might need us to pull him out.”

“Andro, call the medics. Tell them we have a situation here at the king’s chambers. And please, get Prompto.” 

“Yes, sir!” 

Gladio’s gaze locks on to Ignis. “Let’s go.”

—————————————————————————

Gladio had eventually gotten used to the idea to actually find himself _inside_ the odd magical space the king shares with his retainers.  
But this time, it’s nothing like the usual void filled with muted blue and purple colours. 

Today, it was battered with a raging storm, thick sheets of grey and black energy whipping about. Gladio could barely see a foot in front of him. 

“Ignis!” Gladio calls out over the mayhem. He pushes forward, the wind howling, whipping at his hair and clothes. 

“Ignis!!” He shouts again. 

“Gladio, I am here!” 

Gladio sees a dark blurry shape emerging through the thick haze. He pushes towards the shape, inching closer until the it starts to look more and more like the tall adviser. 

“What the hell is happening!” Gladio shouts once they reach each other. 

“I do not know. But we better make haste and find Noct!”

Ignis moves forward, shielding his eyes with his arm, leaning forward to brace against the storm. 

“How do you know where we need to go?”

“I can feel him,” Ignis simply answers. 

Gladio focuses and tries to listen over this damn noise, and true enough, he feels a gentle tug pulling him in the direction Ignis is currently walking in. 

Soon they start to see an undefined dark shape through the clouds, getting clearer and clearer the closer they get. 

The image that is revealed to them has Gladio’s blood boiling. He wants to rush forward but Ignis holds him back with a restraining arm in front of his chest.

“Let’s assess the situation. We could be hurting him if we storm in.”

In the centre of the storm, Noct hangs suspended, black gooey tendrils of dark energy circling his wrists spreading his arms wide above his head. The same with his ankles, pulling his legs apart, like a bizarre butterfly on display. 

Noctis is struggling against the bonds but it’s getting weaker and weaker. 

“My god, how long has he been like this.” Ignis gasps.

“Iggy, we have to get in there.” Gladio’s voice trembles. 

Noctis is turning his head towards them. 

Pain-filled blue eyes are meeting theirs. 

“Guys, I could really need some help here.“

As soon as Noct spoke, more black tendrils materialize from the dark clouds around them, creeping over his mouth trying to muzzle him. 

Gladio summons his broadsword with a growl. 

“Enough!”

He storms forward slashing at the ties that are holding Noctis. 

He keeps hacking away at them with a fury until the tendrils curl back and release Noct. 

The king starts to fall towards the undefined shapes that constitute as a ground in this damn place. 

Gladio runs forward to catch him. 

“Thanks,” Noctis wheezes. 

“What is happening, Noct?” Gladio helps him to sit up, letting him lean against his side. 

“I don’t know. It wouldn’t let me go. I couldn’t wake up...” Noctis looks up dazedly at his two friends, his face full of confusion.

Ignis rushes to their side. “How do you feel now, Your Majesty? Do you think its hold is weak enough for you to wake up?

“Yes, I think so.” Noctis says as he is trying to get his feet back under him with Gladio’s help. 

Ignis closes his eyes trying to focus over the storm. “I can hear them. Prompto and Andro. Let’s follow their voices.”

——————————————————————————

The trio comes to in the waking world with audible gasps.

A frantic looking Prompto holding on to Ignis while Andro is on Gladio’s side. 

Noctis, writhing in Gladio’s arms, pants for air like he is a fish out of water. His eyes are unfocused and he is blindly reaching out until his hand connects with Ignis’ wrist and grasps it with a bone-crushing hold. Only then Noctis breathing starts to even out. 

The medic rushes forward. She feels Noct’s pulse and shines a flashlight in his eyes. 

“Your Majesty, are you back with us?”

“Yeah...yeah I am ok,” Noct replies still a bit breathless. 

“What happened, Noct?” Prompto’s face full of worry as he sits down next to the trio on the bed, careful not to disturb the doctor in her examination.

“I don’t know...There was this presence that trapped me. I couldn’t see it. But it felt full of malice.”

Noctis shudders, his eyes assuming that far away look again. 

Gladio’s eyes meet Ignis’s with worry. Rarely have they seen their king as lost as this. And having witnessed what they just did, they get it. The Crystal and its magic are Noctis’ realm. Getting attacked by it or something within it while sleeping...They did not know what they were dealing with. An invisible enemy...Gladio hated it. He got the feeling this was a fight they could not win by swords alone. 

“We better bring this up in our meeting with Lady Lunafreya. This must all be connected to Gentiana’s findings,” Ignis suggests. 

Noctis nods. 

The medic finishes her examination. “Well as far as I can tell your vitals are not different than since you were separated from the Chrystal. Elevated heart rate and sensitivity to light. 

How is your pain level?”

“It is manageable,” Noctis smiles at her kindly. 

“Tch,” Gladio’s only reply to that understatement of the year. 

“Thank you, Doctor. Thank you, Andro,” Noctis says as the doctor leaves the chambers with Andro following to resume his guard duty at the king’s door.

“What time is it now?”

“It is nine am, Your Majesty. You still have an hour if you need some time to regroup.”

“Yeah, I’ll take a shower,” Noctis replies, tugging at his sweat drenched shirt. 

“And perhaps some breakfast?”

“Sure, Iggy.” Noctis acquiesces with a chuckle. 

He releases Ignis’ wrist and peels himself out of Gladio’s hold. Noctis stands up slowly, Gladio hovering behind him still kneeling on the bed. 

Every person in the room poised to jump in. 

Noctis huffs at them with a warm smile. “Seriously, I am fine!”

The three friends release a collective breath. 

——————————————————————————

After a shower and some light breakfast, the four of them meet Cor and Nyx in the king’s office. 

Luna and Gentiana are already on a screen mounted on the office wall next to the desk. Prompto always got a kick out of the fact they were actually on a video call with a divine messenger. 

“Hey Luna, Gentiana.” Noct greets them warmly as he comes to stand in front of the monitor. 

Noctis and Luna have been friends since childhood.  
Sure, they were bound together by duty, since it is the Oracle’s destiny to guide the Chosen King in his battle against the Starscourge.  
But they just also genuinely liked each other. 

“My dear Noctis, you look pale!” Luna exclaims as her kind eyes land on her friend. 

“Luna, I am fine,” Noctis assures her, “it’s just ....I think the Crystal is broken.” 

Noctis briefly explains what happened this morning. 

Luna and Gentiana glance at each other. 

“My dear chosen King,” Gentiana speaks up, “it is at long last that we were able to establish a connection with the slumbering Gods. 

Luna continues, “They were far away and distorted but they were trying to reach out to us. Something has been blocking them for the past ten years, Noctis.” Luna’s face is solemn. 

“What...what do you mean?”

“Young king, we have learned of a single being that is the source of the Scourge. The Gods call him The Accursed. He tricked the Pyreburner Ifrit into putting the Gods into a state of slumber, rendering them unable to reach and guide you through your Ascension,” Gentiana explains gently. 

“What do you mean guide him through his Ascension?” Gladio interrupts gruffly.  
“What were they supposed to do? Praise him how well he can bear pain??” Gladio continues, not caring in his anger how rude he is talking to the Queens of Tenebrae.

Noctis’ torture for his Ascension’s sake was a sore subject for all of them. 

Luna’s expression turns pained as she looks at Gladio, tears filling her eyes. 

Gentiana puts a gentle arm around her love and steps in.  
“It fills me with such great sorrow to say this, but the Gods have let us know it was never their intention for the Providence to cause so much torment in the Chosen One.”

The silence falling over the room is deafening, everyone trying to digest the implications of what Gentiana just had shared .

All eyes look to Noctis who has turned very very still. 

“You mean,” Prompto clears his throat, “you mean, all that pain during the Crystal’s sessions, that was never meant to happen?”

The Divine Messenger only nods. Luna buries her face in Gentiana’s shoulder, quietly sobbing. 

Gladio glances at Noctis.

Ignis starts to move towards the king, trying to offer any form of physical comfort after those shattering news. But Noctis stops him in his tracks when he lifts up his palm. 

Gladio understands, any form of physical consolation would shatter the king’s composure. 

Noctis slowly walks towards the couch and sits down, hunched over. His eyes are distant. A myriad of expressions running over his face. The most prominent of all, disbelief. 

All those years of agony, Noctis bore it with grade, accepting it as his role in the prophecy. 

To learn, all that was not meant to happened and it was caused by someone who wants to harm his king? Gladio wants to crush this Accursed’s skull with his bare hands. 

Slowly Noctis is regaining his composure. 

“So, who is this Accursed,” Cor speaks up for the first time, clearly as shaken as the rest. 

Luna wipes of her tears and replies, “We do not know. Only that he wields very dark magic.”

Gladio was about to give another scathing remark but Noctis interrupts him with a stern look. 

“It’s ok Luna. Please don’t strain yourself. I know how hard it is on you to talk with the Gods. We’ll get to the bottom of this together.” 

Noct raises from the couch, fully back in his role as the leader as he addresses his adviser. 

“Ignis, what are your thoughts?”

“He must be in Niflheim,” Ignis supplies thoughtfully. “The removal of the Crystal from the Citadel....it can’t be a coincidence. He must have some sort of influence over the Crystal, which explains why your episodes are getting so intense. I don’t think mere distance could be the cause of all this. “

“That also could explain why I couldn’t reach Ravus since your coronation, Noctis,” Luna adds pensively. 

“What?” Prompto splutters shocked. 

“I know he is still alive, we still see him daily on news reports coming out of Niflheim. I just have not been about to reach him on his phone. I believe someone is purposefully trying to cut off our main inside contact to Niflheim.” 

Silence descends again over the room. When he turned 17, Luna’s brother Ravus Nox Fleuret has agreed to join Niflheim’s army as a part of a treaty between Lucis, Tenebrae. To offer help to Niflheim where Noctis could not. 

It was meant to ease the tension between the continents but with a tyrannical leader like Aldercapt, there was not much in Ravus’ power to actually do some good, despite his extensive training in all things military. 

“I can reach out to my contacts, see if they heard anything,” Prompto suggests. 

“Thanks, Prom.”

“Well, let’s see the positive side,” Nyx quips, always the pragmatic. 

“Now the Scourge has a face. Well, not a real one just yet. But we’ll find the bastard eventually. Now we actually know what to fight!” Nyx finishes excitedly. Lifting the mood considerably. 

“The Galahdian is right,” Gentiana agrees, “the Accursed is the source of the Scourge. That also explains why your missions were met with such deliberate deamon threats.”

“He is targeting you, Noctis,” Luna continues, “he fears you since you are the only one to exceed his power.”

“Not feeling so powerful now. He was able to attack me when I was sleeping,” Noctis counters indignantly. “Not to mention that no one knew he even existed while messing with us the past ten years.”

Gentiana smiles at Noctis warmly. “Do not forget, young king, you have yet to have the gods at your side. My love and I will succeed in waking them up fully to help you guide you in your journey as it was always meant to be. 

There is also one more thing the Accursed is not accounting for.  
It is the deep connection you share with your retainers. It kept you grounded all this time, enabling you to overcome insurmountable hardship. I am of absolute certainty that this is beyond the Accursed’s comprehension.  
With them by your side, you will not falter.”

“I am sure he is wondering how you could resist him for so long,” Luna muses. 

The silence falling over the room is a bit less of an oppressive one but more hopeful. 

“Alright,” Noctis faces the room, “I think it is about time we undertake a state visit to the Empire of Niflheim.”

“You can’t be serious,” Gladio bursts out. “Your Majesty,” he tags on a bit more composed. 

“We have to get the Crystal back or stop whatever he is doing to it or we’ll be fighting an uphill battle,” Noctis reasons, ”and it will also give us a chance to find out who this Accursed is.”

“This is a risky move, Noctis,” Cor warns. 

“They won’t harm me. They might resent me and my father but they are not stupid. They won’t risk war with the deamons again let alone the other nations by killing the only thing that is keeping up the Wall.” 

“Yeah, they’ll just humiliate you and demean all the sacrifices you have made,” Gladio grumbles. 

Noctis only scoffs. “I’ve survived worse..”

“It might not be an ideal situation but I have to agree with Noct. I think it is our only option moving forward right now,” Ignis says. 

“So you think they’ll just give back the Crystals when we ask nicely?” Prompto asks lightly

“I doubt it,” it was Gladio’s turn to scoff. 

“We have to appeal to the people,” Noctis suggests, “they have to understand we’ll need it if we want to eradicate the deamons once and for all. Aldercapt is known for ruling with fear and oppression, feeding lies to his citizens. If we can somehow convince them of our good intentions...”

Noct turns to Prompto. 

“I’ll need your help with that, Prom,” Noct gazes imploringly at his friend. 

“You can count on me.”

“Ugh this is going to be a security nightmare,” Gladio all but whines. “How am I going to protect you in an empire full of anti-lucians.”

“I know you’ll do your best. We’ll be fine!”

Gladio prays to those damn slumbering Gods to please let Noct be right. 

——————————————————————————

The next week passes in a blur. Ignis is busy wrangling all the intricate details a state visit of the Lucian King entails.  
While Gladio is pouring over Niflheim intel, still in a bad mood.  
Prompto has made it his task to reach out to his old childhood friends. Friends he knew from back when he was a child soldier fighting for the Niflheim army before Cor and Ravus rescued him. 

And in the midst of all the chaos and Noctis’ daily kingly duties, the three fall into an easy rhythm to keep Noctis grounded amongst the Chrystal’s poisoned magic. 

It’s getting easier for them to pull him out of his episodes. Often a simple touch suffices to give him relief. 

The next time only the four of them find themselves together is on board of the Royal Jet as it is on its way to Niflheim. 

It is a medium sized jet, reserved for the king’s state visits around Eos. There were four black leather seats with a table between them on one side and a low cabinet on the other.  
Two more seats were tucked away in the back.  
A black curtain separating the cabin form the cockpit at the front. 

Prompto and Gladio occupy two of the seats in the centre, each of them pouring over their data pads. 

Ignis unpacks the Royal raiment from its cover hanging it on a hook on the ceiling. 

Noctis is leaning with one hip against the cabinet. A can of Ebony in his hands. He did not want to sit down. Afraid to fall asleep and what he might find there. They could not afford the risk of him getting trapped there. 

Gladio is looking up, grumbling under his breath. 

“Who the hell do they think they are? The fucking King of Lucis and all they allow is one bodyguard??”

“Language, Gladio.” Ignis scolds him. 

“At least they agreed to a non public landing. I did not want to deal with an angry mob before I can even assess the situation.”

“Relax, Gladio.” Noctis takes another sip of Ebony as if it was water.  
“We knew this was going to happen. It’s only going to get worse,” Noctis states calmly, “as soon as we land we’ll try to find out where they are keeping the Crystal. Once I am close to it I hope I can reverse whatever the Accursed is doing.”

“I am saying it one last time...I really hate this plan.”

“We’ll be fine. And if worst comes to worst, I can take care of myself.”

Gladio eyes Noctis with disbelieve. 

The king looks haggard, dark circles under his eyes from only getting a few hours of restful sleep at night after his retainers are able to free him. The usual upright lines of his broad shoulders, slightly hunched over. His thin T-shirt already drenched in sweat again. People who don’t know the king personally would never be able to tell. But to his friends it was very much obvious, their king was in pain. No matter how much they anchored him through it all, it was about damn time they put a stop to it all. 

“No offence Noct, but you look like shit.”

Noct huffs a laugh. “Yeah,” not really able to disagree with the statement. 

“Well, I guess Ignis has to work extra hard to make me presentable then,” Noctis smirks.

“I’ll do my best,” Ignis replies. He comes forward with a stack of neatly folded clothing, a bag of toiletries balanced on top and hands it to Noctis. 

Noctis pushes himself of the counter, takes one last sip of Ebony and accepts the items from Ignis. 

He disappears into the small bathroom at the end of the cabin.

When he hears the shower turn on, Gladio faces his friends looking at them with open concern. 

“I am just worried we still couldn’t reach Ravus. There is definitely someone who does not want us to talk to him. We’re going in blind.”

“I understand Gladio,” Ignis replies, ”but this is necessary. Noctis is deteriorating and I am not sure how much longer he can endure. And I don’t think I have to remind you of how dangerous this poisoned magic must be to render him into such a state.” 

“Nah, you don’t have to,” Gladio replies darkly. 

It was on one of their excursions when they almost had lost Noct due to blood loss. 

Noctis had not realized how badly he was injured during a fight, his perception of pain dulled by the exposure to the Crystal.  
It was dark and no one saw how serious it was until their prince collapsed out of nowhere.

They scolded him, even though they knew it was not his fault. But the incident scared and angered them. 

“We’ll just have to do our best to watch his back,” Prompto chimes in. “He doesn’t let it on much but I know much he beats himself up about the state Niflheim is in right now. “

“Agreed, all we can do is be there for him. As always,” Ignis concludes. 

The shower turns off and the three quickly turn silent. 

“Have you guys been talking about me?” A mock frown graces Noctis’ face as he exits the bathroom. 

He is now dressed in his slacks and black button down shirt, towelling off his hair. 

He flops down on an armrest facing Ignis who has laid out all sorts of cosmetics and toiletries.

Noctis eyes the makeup sceptically. 

“Don’t let the enemy see you bleed. Isn’t that what you keep telling me?” Ignis quips lighthearted. 

Noctis grumbles a bit more but closes his eyes letting Ignis cover up the dark circles under his eyes.  
Ignis gently sweeps Noctis’ hair out of this face, holding it back with some gel and hairspray, completing the perfect image of the most powerful King of Eos. 

He is still pale under the makeup and pearls of sweat still manage to roll down Noctis’ temple, but he doesn’t look deathly ill anymore.

“Well, who are you and what have you done with Noctis!” Prompto exclaims exaggeratedly. 

“Shut up,” Noctis mumbles, embarrassed. 

It took a bit of convincing from Ignis when he told Noctis, his ‘mopey prince hairstyle’ needed to be a thing of the past before his coronation. 

But the new look suited him rather well in Ignis’ opinion. 

Prompto was about to needle Noctis more when suddenly his phone screen lights up. 

“It’s Ravus!”

“Prompto?” They can hear Ravus urgent voice crackle through the phone. “Listen, I don’t have much time, but you have to be on your guard! Your landing will be a public one. There is a considerable crowd gathered, you have to brace yourself.”

Ravus voice turns even more serious if at all possible. “Also, Your Majesty,” Ravus hesitates. 

“Please, Ravus. Go on,” Noct urges gently.

“They have erected wall-breaker wave generators at the border. I am sorry Noctis, I wish I.....

A rustle can be heard over the phone and a distant voice is replacing Ravus’.

“And who would you be taking to my dear High Commander,” Hhe voice sing songs playfully. 

“Chancellor, I......”

The line goes silent. 

“What the hell!” Gladio jumps up and grabs Prompto’s phone. 

“Ravus?” But it is useless, the connection gone. 

“A wall-breaker wave?” Noctis whispers. His eyes turn wide as his gaze lands on Ignis. 

“Didn’t our intel say that concept was scrapped at the blueprint?” Prompto asks Ignis. 

“I guess they were wrong.” Ignis tries to mask his shock at the news. 

“Your Majesty,” the pilot calls from the cockpit, “we are getting some very strange energy readings at the Niflheimian border on our radar. How should we proceed?”

A brief expression of naked fear flashes over Noctis’ face until he tamps it down turning towards the cockpit. 

“Please maintain course. The energy will be harmless to the engine. How long until we hit the border?” 

“One minute out, Sir,” the pilot replies. 

Ignis springs into action, grabbing Noctis’ shoulders and gently guiding him down until he is kneeling on the floor. Prompto and Gladio immediately catching on, surround him with their embrace at Noctis’ back. Ignis lifts one hand from Noctis’ shoulder cupping his face, staring imploringly at the king. 

“We are with you. We’ll guide you through it.” Ignis rests both hands on his shoulders again, squeezing them hard.

Noctis gives a terse nod in response, his breath had quickened and he had started to tremble. This time Gladio was sure it was not because of the Crystal.  
He has never seen Noct so scared. 

Noctis grabs hold of Ignis forearms, his knuckles turning white from the strength of the grip. Looking at him as if he was his lifeline. 

“Pilot,” Ignis calls out, his eyes never leaving Noctis’, “no matter what you hear from us, please proceed to get us to the landing as safely as possible.”

“Understood, Sir! We are twenty seconds out!”

An orange ripple runs through the plane, ripping a bone chilling scream out of their king. Noctis lets go of Ignis arms, doubling over, frantically grabbing at his chest trying to draw air into his lungs as the wall-breaker violently tears the magic from their king. 

Noctis is gasping for breath as he is riding to the pain. 

“Noct,” Ignis reaches out. “Talk to us.”

“Did I ruin the makeup?”

Gladio lets out a relieved chuckle. 

“Nothing that can’t be fixed,” Ignis replies gently, “how are you feeling.”

“Hollow,” Noct says has he rubs his chest. 

“Any pain?”

“Not any worse than before, maybe even a bit more dull than before. Breathing just feels a bit harder.”

“I am afraid I have no advice to offer as this is a very novel situation,” Ignis supplies, totally at a loss. 

“It’s alright, Specs. None of us could see that coming. I guess that means you won’t be able to pull weapons from the Armiger?”

“Don’t worry, we came prepared,” Gladio assures with a grin as he points to the weapon’s case under the seat. He didn’t want to make a sucky situation worse than it already was, so he bit down on his ‘I told you so.’

“Ten minutes to landing, Sirs!” 

“Brace yourself, Noctis. It won’t be pretty,” Gladio warns. 

Noctis nods dejectedly as he raises to his feet to sit back down on the armrest. 

Ignis applies some last finishing touches to Noct and helps him into the cape of his raiment. 

—————

Once they touched down and rolled onto the designated area of the Palace’s hangar, the pilot lets down the stairs. 

Gladio is the first to exit, immediately scanning for threats . His heart plummets as he sees the crowd. 

They had rolled out a red carpet, lined by a group of about 50 Niflheimians. 

Gladio would almost have preferred a rowdy crowd to this. 

Every person in the crowd was crippled in one way or another. 

Lost legs, arms, or eyes. A testament to their struggle with the deamons. Rubbing it in their face what the fall of the first Wall caused to their People.

Gladio reaches behind him briefly, squeezing Noctis hands before he starts to descend the stairs followed by the king. 

They walk past the crowd in silence. He feels Noct tense behind him. Gladio knows he wants to reach out and console these people but he also knows that would not be welcomed. 

The crowd watches the small procession with absolute silence. Only accusatory stares boring into the King of King’s who failed to protect them for so long. 

Gladio shifts his focus to the lone figure standing at the end of the carpet. He has never seen that person before in any of the reports or news from Niflheim. A tall middle aged man with red hair and a garish looking outfit made out of long confusing layers of fabric, waiting for them with a big smile. Gladio has to suppress a shiver. 

He can feel Noct do the same as a small gasp escapes the king once he lays eyes on the stranger. 

Gladio reluctantly steps aside once they reach the end of the carpet, leaving Noctis wide open. 

“Your Majesty,” the stranger says, bowing with a dramatic flourish which almost borders on mocking.  
“Welcome to the Empire of Niflheim. I am Chancellor Ardyn Izunia, at Your service.” The oily voice raises Gladio’s hackles. 

Noctis on the other hand, is the epitome of diplomatic politeness as he gives a quick bow.

“Chancellor, thank you for meeting us.”

Izunia’s grin is widening as he looks at Noctis with something akin to a leer. 

“Oh my, is his Majesty not doing too well? I hope our wave generator is not affecting you too badly,” he says, with false concern dripping from every word. 

“My apologies but we had to protect the people. You see, they are deathly afraid of your magic. And we have to give the people what they want,” he finishes in the same oily singsong voice. 

Ardyn gives Noctis a predatory grin as he stares with fascination at a bead of sweat that is rolling down Noctis’ temple before it gets absorbed by his shirt collar. 

Noctis still appears to be unfazed by everything and just says, “Of course, I understand. I assure you however I don’t mean you or your people any harm.”

“How would they know, it’s not like they ever saw you in these parts,” the Chancellor taunts silkily. 

“You have my sincerest regrets, I assure you. If I could have been here to help if at all possible, I would have.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Ardyn waves his hands dismissively. 

“But you must be tired from your travels, please let our servants show you to your chambers. The Emperor is so very excited to meet you tomorrow, Your Majesty. Now rest well!” Ardyn Izunia walks off with a spring in his step.

A couple of servants hurriedly scurry over to show them to their chambers within the Empire’s palace. 

Once they are alone in their rooms, first thing Prompto and Gladio do is check for bugs. 

Noctis flops down on an armchair, tugs off his cape and undoes the first few buttons of his shirt with a big sigh. 

“Well done, Noctis,” Ignis praises the young king and sits down next to him. 

Noctis smiles gratefully at his adviser. 

Once satisfied the room is as safe as can be, Prompto and Gladio join the two in the sitting area. 

“Now what?” Prompto asks quietly.  
“We stick to the plan,” Noct replies with a tired smile. 

They were in enemy territory, with no magic and no backup, fighting an entity that could put gods to sleep. 

Gladio really hated this plan.


End file.
